A Beginner's Guide to Web Comic Writing

The first thing you have to do is figure out what it is you are going to write. The most important thing to keep in mind is what you know and love. If you aren't enjoying what you are doing, then why are you doing it in the first place? If you have a story to tell, then tell it! If one-a-day jokes are more your thing, then make me laugh! Get the idea?

Once you have figured out what it is you want to write, you need to flesh it out a bit. For a longer, graphic novel type story, like the ones that I am accustomed to writing, you will really need to work on two major things: characters and plot. A tremendous amount of time can be spent on these two things. You must know all of your main characters, both protagonists and antagonists. And you can't just know them, you have to know everything about who they are, how they act, and where they come from (both their past and their home).

It is very important to know your entire story, from start to finish, BEFORE you start writing! The most effective tool you can have is an outline of your entire story, complete with various actions and events, and exactly where and when they will happen.

Once your plot and characters are ready to roll, then so are you. Now you can start writing your first page! I normally like to write the first page in several different ways, until I find the style that flows the best, and seems to fit in with the world that I am creating.

Once you have the first page written out, and you have selected the one you like best, it's time to revise it! Re-read it, and look for any mistakes you want to fix. It's always good to have a second set of eyes look over your work, too. They can add valuable perspective to your work, as well as catch small grammatical errors that you may have glanced over.

Once you have revised your first page, then you want to think about your formatting. Your formatting is very important! It should be easy for you to read, understand, and work with. Also, it should follow some standard comic practices: namely, you should have four to six panels per page. Obviously, you can have more or less as it suits your story, but four to six is a great middle number. Break your script up into panels. Do some of your panels seem too busy? Is there too much dialogue? Remember, don't make your panels too cluttered, or they can be difficult to read. It's always better to stretch out a lengthy monologue over an entire page than to cram it into one small panel.

Once your panels are the way you want them to be (imagine how they will look in your head. It's also helpful to include visual clues for your artist, or for yourself so you don't forget them alter on down the road, when you're drawing), you are ready to hand your script off to an artist! Or, to start drawing it yourself, if you have the talent and inclination.

Once your first page is finished, it's time to share it with the world! There are many free places and blogs that you can use to share comics, such as Drunk Duck, Keenspot, or even wordpress. They all work very well, and you should check them all out in depth to see which one you think you would prefer the most.